The Agenda

Residents, commuters and businesses in Julianstown are being encouraged to attend a public meeting this week to discuss plans for a traffic relief scheme for the village.The Julianstown Traffic Relief Scheme is currently at Phase 2, with four western road corridors now out for public consultation. However, questions have been raised about how the options were assessed and why other possibilities, including direct access between the M1 and R132, are not included in the current consultation.Traffic analysis suggests around 60% of morning traffic travelling south through Julianstown continues towards Junction 7 of the M1. The current proposals would also require new crossings of the River Nanny, bringing additional engineering and cost considerations.A public information meeting will take place at the CityNorth Hotel on Thursday at 7.30pm. Emma Haran from the group joined us on The Agenda this morning to tell us more…

Public transport is not nearly as dangerous as people think it is, according to the Commuter Coalition.New figures from the NTA show that 46% of people believe antisocial behaviour on buses, trams and trains has increased this year, with concerns around safety continuing to affect how people view public transport.However, Commuter Coalition spokesperson Lochlann Gallagher says those fears need to be put into context. He argues that while people may encounter antisocial behaviour from time to time, it remains relatively rare across the thousands of journeys made every day.Lochlann also says regular users tend to view public transport as “much, much safer” than those who rarely or never use it, suggesting that people’s perceptions may not always reflect the reality of travelling by bus, tram or train.Lochlann joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

A survivor of a mother and baby home who was subjected to vaccine trials and sexually abused as a child says he is devastated that vulnerable children are still being failed by the State.Francis Timmons, who spent the first years of his life in Madonna House mother and baby home in Blackrock, Dublin, says there are serious concerns about the safety and stability of children currently in State care.It comes after figures revealed that more than 1,100 children in Tusla care were placed in unregulated emergency settings last year, while hundreds experienced multiple care placements. Internal records also show children in Tusla-run homes were reported missing almost 7,000 times between January 2020 and September 2025.Mr Timmons is now calling for urgent Government action to address what he describes as systemic failures in the care system. Francis joined us on The Agenda this morning to share his story and discuss his concerns.

The Dáil is being recalled early from its summer break this Friday, as the ongoing war in the Middle East continues to push up fuel prices.The government is expected to postpone planned excise duty increases on petrol and diesel, which were due to come into effect in September and October.However, Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty says the recall must be about more than simply delaying the increases. He is calling on the government to commit to not restoring the taxes while fuel prices remain high, and says Budget 2027 must provide wider relief for families facing the rising cost of living.Deputy Pearse Doherty joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the planned changes and what he wants to see from the government.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is carrying out a new study looking at male attitudes towards masculinity and consent.The research, which is part of the DRCC’s We-Consent campaign, will explore the attitudes of males aged between 16 and 65, including the influences shaping those attitudes – from friends and sport to the online world.It comes after research last year found that young men aged 18 to 24 were the least confident when it came to understanding consent, with 16% unsure what consent means. The study also found that 27% of those surveyed agreed that sometimes people say no when they want convincing.The DRCC says understanding how masculine norms are formed is key to preventing violence and will help shape future education and prevention campaigns.Dublin Rape Crisis Centre CEO Rachel Morrogh joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the research, as well as the organisations plans to protest Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland.

Staff at Oberstown Children Detention Campus are set to stage a 48-hour work stoppage next week, as an ongoing dispute over staffing and resources escalates.Fórsa members will stop work from midnight on Monday, August 31st, until Tuesday night, following a series of weekly stoppages which began earlier this month. Members are also due to hold a 12-hour stoppage and picket outside the campus beforehand.The union says its members are taking action over what they describe as inadequate staffing levels at the State’s only child detention facility, which is regularly operating close to capacity.However, Oberstown director Damien Hernon has called for a “ceasefire”, warning that the industrial action could increase risks at the facility.Fórsa’s Media Relations Director Niall Shanahan joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the dispute and the reasons behind the planned escalation.

A woman has been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into an organised crime group in County Louth.The development follows a Garda operation targeting the group in Dundalk on Friday, during which guns and viable improvised explosive devices were seized.The woman, who is in her 30s, is due before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court this afternoon.Sinn Féin TD for Louth Ruairí Ó Murchú joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the latest developments and the wider concerns around organised crime in the area.

Businesses in the Drogheda area are being urged to take steps to prevent pallets, tyres and other materials being taken for bonfires ahead of Halloween.An Garda Síochána in Louth, together with Louth County Council, has been visiting businesses in the Drogheda area as part of an early awareness campaign.Gardaí say teenagers have already begun collecting materials such as pallets and tyres, which can later be used in bonfires, and businesses are being reminded to store and dispose of these materials securely and lawfully.This is also a major problem in Drogheda every year, and there are already reports of stockpiling taking place.We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Labour Councillor for Drogheda, Pio Smith, who says he has already witnessed this activity earlier this year.

MEP Barry Andrews is warning that TikTok could potentially face a temporary suspension in Europe if the social media platform fails to comply with EU law.TikTok has been invited before the Oireachtas Media Committee to answer questions about videos showing wrong-way and dangerous driving on Irish motorways, following the M9 crash in Kildare.The European Commission has also issued preliminary findings in three separate investigations into TikTok over the past year, raising concerns about whether the platform is meeting its obligations under EU law.Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews says that if TikTok does not comply with those findings, and any resulting fines fail to change its behaviour, the Commission must consider activating the relevant legal powers.Barry joined us on The Agenda this morning to discuss the concerns and what action could be taken against TikTok.